Tire-armor.



S. P. WILGOX.

TIRE ARMOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1912.

1,062,070. Patented May 20, 1913.

, I I EJmxm/toz @SFMLCQX UNITED STATESJATENT orr on.

SIDNEY F. WILGOX, OF GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK.

TIRE-ARMOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 20,1913.

Application filed March 20, 1912. Serial No. 684,934.

fastening together the adjacent ends of 1he casing.

A .preferable. embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings,

in which,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of partof a wheel and tire equipped withthe armor forming the subject matter of my invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse section through the tire armor, the position of the tirebeing indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a plan view of theinterlocking ends of the armor detached. Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsection through the tire armor at the point of over-- lappinginterlocking engagement of its ends.

Referring to thedrawings by numerals: 1 indicates an integral annularcasing of flexible sheet metal concaved to the shape of a tire tread andhaving overlapping ends 23, the end portion 2 being provided with atransverse slot 2, and the end portion 3 having pro ecting therefrom atongue member 3 adapted to be inserted through the slot 2 and bentupwardly against the under surface of the casing when the ends of thetire are overlapped. The casing 1 at its lower edges is formed withinturned flanges 4 within which are seated fastening wires 5 Whose ends,when the ends of the tire are overlapped and looked as hereinbeforerecited, are adapted to be fastened together in any suitable manner. Aloop or eye 5 may be formed at the ends of the wires at one end of thecasing, and the ends of the wires at the adjacent end may be insertedtherethrough and twisted, or the wires may be secured together in anyother suitable manner.

It will be noted that the flanges 4t terminate a short distance from theends 2 and 3 of the casing to allow for the overlappingof the ends. Byreason ofthe clearancethus afforded and of the length of the tongue 3,which may be varied, the casing or armor may be adapted to tires ofdiflerent sizes Within certain limits the flexibility of the materialpermitting the tire armor to conform to different cross-sectionalar'easwith in limits. Furthermore, the metal of thecasing, beingcomparatively thin, the bulge at the point of overlap is not appreciableand willnot materially interfere with the efficiency and smoothoperation of the'casing as an armor for the tire.

In order to give anon-skid surface to the tread of the casing, I formtherein, by punching or any other suitable means, 4=hollow projections 6which may. be arranged about the tread surface of the casingjinanydesired manner, either in staggered relation, transverse parallelrelation, or in any other manner which may seem desirable.

These projections, in addition to forming a non-skid tread surface, willalso tend to prevent creeping of the armor about the tire inasmuch asthe tread surface oftheltire will be slightly compressed within thesehollow projections, hich will also tendt'oaact as suction cups to retainthe casing upon the tire in the position in which it was originallyplaced thereon. I might ;allso state that while I have shown a singletongue and slot, 3 and 2 respectively, :for

interconnecting the overlapping ends of the tire casing, thisarrangement may be varied somewhat as, for instance, by using aplurlality of projecting tongues and cooperating s ots.

In practice, and the armor casing of my invention placed thereabout andits tongue or tongues inserted through the corresponding slot or slotsand bent backwardly to interlock the ends of the casing. The tire isthen fully inflated, and as the casing is made or ad justed to fit aninflated tire of the size used, the inflation of the tire will, ofitself, lock or hold the casingthereon. The ends of the binding wires 5may be locked together, either before or after the tire .is inflatedbeen heretofore pointed out. I

While 'I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, variousmodifications thereof are possible within the spirit of the inventionand of the appended claim.

and by any suitable means, as -.ha's l the tire is deflated somewhatWhat I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A tire armor comprising an integral annular casing of flexible sheetmetal concaved t0 the shape of a tire tread, having overlapping ends,and having a slot formed adjacent one end thereof and a tongueprojecting from the other end thereof adapted to be inserted throughsaid slot and bent to lock the overlapping ends of the casing together,'said tongue being of such length as to afford adjustment means forvarying the circumferential size of the tire armor; inturned flangesformed at the lower edges of the annular casing terminating adjacent; 1|the point of greatest overlap of the ends thereof; and binding wiresinclosed within and carried by said flan es and adapted to beinterlocked at their afiutting ends.

SIDNEY F. WILCOX.

Witnesses:

.E. E. MORSE,

HENDERSON F. HILL.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

